Perhaps taking its cue from the Cheney Energy Task Force, the EPA has been holding secret meetings with the agribusiness industry this year, putting together a "sweetheart deal" with lobbyists to exempt factory farms from Clean Air Act and Superfund regulations.
The EPA has proposed offering "an industry-wide pardon" for air pollution violations to massive hog, cattle and chicken farms, says Sierra Club attorney Barclay Rogers.
"This deal is being negotiated behind closed doors, and the Sierra Club and other environmental groups are trying to pry those doors open through a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act," Rogers told BushGreenwatch.
The lawsuit demands the Bush Administration divulge information about the secret meetings between EPA and industry.[1] Even though documents had been leaked to environmental groups, EPA denied the existence of a deal until after the lawsuit was filed in September. The plaintiffs have asked the court to order EPA to immediately turn over its records.
A copy of the deal obtained by environmentalists indicates that EPA would agree not to pursue factory farms for polluting if they paid a $500 penalty and agreed to take part in a study to monitor emissions.[2]
Localities, some of which have been unable to meet air quality standards because of farm emissions, have complained.
-- Doug _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
